"It's just been a fantastic thing for us to watch," said Bruce Ray, pastor, Kimball Avenue Church. "We're blessing the community, but we're getting blessed at the same time." The Sol Food Mobile Farm is heading to Milwaukee next and then it's off to Seattle. You can see the group's complete bus route and find out how you can volunteer with one of the local gardens by visiting www.solfoodmobilefarm.org]]> http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8785802_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 22:47:04 GMT 8785634 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8778004_223x126.jpg 126 223 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:29:36 GMT 8778005 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8760981_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:24:15 GMT 8760975 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8752219_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:38:07 GMT 8752198 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/resources/lifestyle_community/green/8743505_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 20 Jul 2012 20:49:17 GMT 8743510 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8735948_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:31:50 GMT 8735628 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8727802_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 06 Jul 2012 22:51:21 GMT 8727782 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8719838_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 29 Jun 2012 22:45:11 GMT 8719670 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8711432_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:29:50 GMT 8711201 Morton Arboretum (mortonarb.org). Standing stately in the center of the White Pine Ship is its namesake tree. It's filling in as the ship's mast. White pines were extremely valuable to early settlers as they were used for ship building. At the Morton Arboretum, the white pine is also turning out to be a fan favorite. "Because you can steer the ship and look out and like on the castle you can go up the ladder and look out and there is a draw bridge and it was really cool," Gavin Swartz said. The Empress or Princess Tree Castle is also getting rave reviews --- and it, too, has a story to tell. "The story behind the tree is even though it is native to China, the empress tree is named after for the daughter of a Russian czar who later became queen of the Netherlands," Anamari Dorgan, Morton Arboretum, said. "It was traditionally planted at a birth of a daughter in China so that when the daughter got married and reached maturity it would be cut down and to create her hope chest and the items for the dowry." The houses teach about the tree's history in effort to educate visitors about the trees and to create a lasting connection with nature. "Tree House tales is really aimed at pointing out the fact that every tree has a story to tell, and the history of trees and what trees are is woven into the history and culture of people through time and through space," Dorgan said. Parents say it's also a good way to get children to appreciate the great outdoors. "It's stuff like this that is going to make them remember you the know, how fun it is to be outside and enjoy you know the tress and what's around here," Teresa Dreisilker, parent, said. The exhibit is geared toward children aged 2 to 10. Next year, the Morton Arboretum plans to add four more structures to create a second tree house village.]]> http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8703302_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 22:43:02 GMT 8703187 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8694950_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 08 Jun 2012 23:02:08 GMT 8694212 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8685909_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:34:59 GMT 8685892 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8677274_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 25 May 2012 22:37:33 GMT 8658219 http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8649136_223x126.jpg 126 223 Fri, 04 May 2012 23:19:14 GMT 8649168 The kids may just like them, especially if they've watched their very own plants sprout from seeds, getting their little hands dirty and learning to live green.

It's all an adventure for students from Yates Elementary School. They've come from Humbolt Park to the Edible Garden at the Lincoln Park Zoo. When they leave here they will not only have knowledge of plants and soil, they will also have seeds and tools to create their own gardens back at school.

"The goal of these gardens is to educate kids about where their food comes from, via them planting and harvesting food," said Edible Gardens director Jeanne Nolan.

That's the idea behind a new program called Sowing Millions, Growing Minds, put together by an organic seed company called Seeds of Change. They are donating more than 25 million seeds nationwide to encourage schools to get more kids into gardening and teach them how to improve their diets.

"We have a high rate of diabetes and asthma and even things like ADHD," said Yates School teacher Megan Stytze. "A lot of people speculate that perhaps diet can affect those particular diseases."

The kids planting broccoli and cabbage have their own ideas about why growing a vegetable garden is important.

"The plants are important to life because the plants five us food," said third-grader Juan Jose Perez. "Almost every type of food is made out of plants and vegetables."

"I like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower," said third-grader Daveigh Clavijo. "They are really all good."

The Seeds of Change folks are trying to get even more kids to enjoy eating what they grow. Today the chef is giving them a hands-on lesson on how to cook the vegetables they harvest.

"They can be fun and they are delicious and they can change them up anyway they want," said chef Chris Skolmutch. "So we will show them a few techniques that will make it fun for them."

Maybe one day as much fun as playing in the dirt and trying to figure it all out.

"I would like to learn how you get seeds," Clavijo said. "I know you get them from a plant, but how do you get the plant first if there is no seeds?"

The Seeds of Change group is giving away seeds to the first 1,000 schools in this area to sign up for the program.

The schools will each get a box of one hundred randomly-selected organic vegetable, herb and flower seed packets. You just have to pay shipping and handling, which is about $15.

Web info www.seedsofchange.com/donation